Tennessee Titans: How Delanie Walker's Return Impacts the Titans Passing Game
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Saturday's preseason home opener saw the visiting New England Patriots best the Tennessee Titans 22-17. Rookie wide receiver A.J. Brown and veteran Corey Davis made their debuts. Starting quarterback Marcus Mariota threw a touchdown pass and remained turnover free. More important than any of that, though, was who was on the receiving end […]
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Saturday's preseason home opener saw the visiting New England Patriots best the Tennessee Titans 22-17. Rookie wide receiver A.J. Brown and veteran Corey Davis made their debuts. Starting quarterback Marcus Mariota threw a touchdown pass and remained turnover free.
More important than any of that, though, was who was on the receiving end of QB1's scoring drive…
Plenty of jokes will be made at Mariota's expense when it comes to his reliance on tight end Delanie Walker. Is it really that crucial for a fifth-year pro to have his proverbial security blanket to maintain passing success? While you do not want an NFL quarterback too reliant on his comfort zone, the safety valve usually frees up plenty of other toys on the offense.
With Walker, both things can be so.
"It's always good to see him," coach Mike Vrabel said of Walker. "He put a couple days in this week and wanted to play. He was very adamant about playing and getting out here tonight, so that's always good to be able to see some conversions and then the touchdown."
"The touchdown" Vrabel referred to was an 11-yard dart over the middle from Mariota on 1st-and-10 deep in New England's territory. Tennessee's offense marched down the field in 10 plays and capped the 87-yard drive off with that score. Walker's first catch for 15 yards jump-started Mariota & Co. and then brought them home at the end of it all.
No one has done more for offensive football in Nashville than Walker and no one's absence hindered it more outside of the starting quarterback himself.
"It's nice seeing 82 out there," Mariota said. Again, it's a privilege to play with somebody like that. We've been together now for five years, and that guy continues to make plays game in and game out. He's just fun to play with, and he makes my job easy."
Walker making Mariota's life easier is an understatement.
Since arriving in Nashville as a free agent in March of 2013, Delanie Walker player on Tennessee's roster with more touchdown catches (34) than the team's head coach (10), per Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus. Vrabel, who played for the Patriots as a linebacker, also moonlighted as an occasional tight end for quarterback Tom Brady during his career.
Walkers' consistency is singular.
Walker will continue to be the guy opposing defenses key their schematics off of and Mariota will continue to favor him. What Vrabel and his staff hope changes, though, is the holes in coverage they might be able to exploit as a result.
